Centre reverses Supreme Court order, gives Delhi Lieutenant Governor final say on bureaucrats
The HinduNew Delhi The Union government on Friday brought an ordinance designating the Lieutenant Governor as the administrator of Delhi who will have the final say on the postings and transfer of all bureaucrats serving the Delhi government. The ordinance, promulgated by President Droupadi Murmu, seeks to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 and effectively negates the May 11 Supreme Court judgment that gave the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government the power to make laws and wield control over bureaucrats deputed to the Delhi government. L-G’s decision final However, the final decision will lie with the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, the ordinance said. The ordinance stated that the Supreme Court passed the verdict “in the absence of any specific parliamentary legislation dealing with the subject of services.” It added that “any decision taken or an event in the capital of the nation not only affects the residents of the national capital but also the rest of the country and at the same time has the potential of putting the national reputation, image, credibility and prestige at stake in the international global spectrum.” It said the national capital belongs to the entire nation and it is in the larger national interest that the people of entire country have some role in the administration of the national capital through the democratically elected Central government.